The Revenge Club Book Review
- naomilisashippen
- Apr 7
- 2 min read
Read my review of Kathy Lette's bestselling novel about four 50-something women who fight back against the societal expectations and refuse to be disrespected, dismissed, and discarded. Published in Story Lamp Reviews on Medium.
The Revenge Club is the story of four mature-age women, united in outrage and plotting retribution. The novel is told from the point of view of the main character, Matilda, a successful author who has raised her children to adulthood with more hindrance than help from their absent father. Matilda and her inseparable university friends were members of a girl band until a mysterious and seismic feud saw them go their separate ways.
Decades later, former band member Jo, returns to England from her successful film career in the States and calls for an impromptu reunion. The women all jump at the chance, the reason for their original falling out long forgotten.
When the girls gather at a swish London eatery to renew their connection, they are taken aback by the changes in Jo, and the reason behind her unexpected appearance. As instigator of the reunion, Jo has gathered them together to issue a dire warning; as women past their prime, they are all bound for certain doom.
Jo is met with instant derision, because as her friends are quick to point out, their lives have never been better. However, as they are soon to discover, “the four horsemen of the …older women apocalypse” have them in their crosshairs. The gang must join forces to fight for their survival and to avenge the injustices they have been dealt.
The Revenge Club is full of Kathy Lette’s signature wit and cutting observations, but she also delivers a serious message; no matter how successful you are in your career or secure in your relationship, if you’re a woman on the wrong side of fifty, it can all be taken away from you without reason or warning.
The novel shows that no matter how far we think we’ve come, women continue to live by the grace and favour of the patriarchy. When our value as sexual conquests and care givers becomes redundant, we find ourselves “personally overlooked and professionally pushed aside.”
The Revenge Club delivers a cautionary tale couched in humour and hijinks, and one that all women, no matter age, career, or relationship status, would do well to heed.
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